Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device having a modular structure in which a converter and an inverter are integrally included.
Description of the Background Art
As disclosed in, for example, International Publication No. WO 98/10508 (FIG. 15), a semiconductor device has a molecular structure described as follows. The semiconductor device includes a metal substrate, a plurality of wires that are fixed to the metal substrate with an insulating layer therebetween, and power circuitry that is electrically connected to the plurality of wires. The power circuitry includes a plurality of circuit portions (such as a converter circuit portion) that are electrically connected between the plurality of wires. The circuit portions include a plurality of external terminals for external connection that are integral therewith and are bonded to the plurality of wires.
The traditional semiconductor device disclosed in International Publication No. WO 98/10508 (FIG. 15) includes, as the external terminals thereof, AC input terminals R, S, and T and converter output terminals P1 and N of the converter circuit portion. The converter input terminals R, S, and T and the converter output terminals P1 and N are located on the surfaces that face each other with the package therebetween.
In the configuration of the traditional semiconductor device described above, the output terminals P and N of the converter are required to be located on the same surface (on one surface) so as to have the shorter wiring for connection with the external capacitor. The AC input terminals R, S, and T of the converter are required to be located on the same surface (on another surface facing the one surface) on ground of the arrangement of, for example, a noise filter. Consequently, the substrate pattern wiring for the entire circuitry including such semiconductor device is limited. Thus, the substrate has unfortunately been difficult to design flexibly.